I'm asking the authorities - where to stay one night

[Mouseaholic!!!]

Hello Everybody!

We are checking into the Grand Cali on Sunday, November 29th with our DVC friends...but DH and I arrive on Saturday - November 28th.

We need an affordable room for one night......as close as possible to the park. I will probably be in a scooter (trip will be just after knee surgery).

I know everyone has their favorites.....any suggestions from the DL masters?


DH is a castmember but the castmember rates are just......stupid for that time of year.

Thanks!

 

[Funbobbi]

What about the Best Western Park Place, right across the street. My cousin and her boyfriend stayed there in June and loved it!!

 

[bumbershoot]

Or the Tropicana! Also just across the street from the entrance plaza.

You might want to check in early early to GCH, so you can take part in Magic Morning that Sunday, by the way. You won't get your room at that time, but you'll get your keycards etc, and then you can rush over for MM at DL!

 

[dizzymomx4]

Possibly HoJo...if you are in a scooter not too far...walking a little bit...but very nice from reviews!

 

[tink2dw]

Try the Desert Inn and Suites!!

http://www.anaheimdesertinn.com/room_suites.htm

 

[Mouseaholic!!!]

Thank you so much.

We are long-time veterans of WDW.....DH and I actually MET there over 4 years ago...

Standling in line at BTMRR
Gay Day weekend
He was wearing RED!!!

We hit it off instantly....but for about the first 3 weeks....I thought he was Gay! Why are all the good ones....Gay???????


Anyway...he wasn't and we married 2 summers ago on a cruise in Alaska.


Ok...back to the subject.........

We are WDW veterans and have been lucky enough to stay at only the Grand Cali on our two recent trips to DL (castmember rates).

For one night, however, this time we want to be frugal.


Thank you so much for your suggestions. I had seen these....just didn't know which ones were good....and which should be avoided.

Pixie dust to all......

and if you are there the week of November 29th --- look for the decorated scooter with the bell and bike horn.

Jim calls it....."pimp my scooter"....a take off on televisions....pimp my ride.

 

[Hound 109]

Just thinking out loud, but if they were wanting frugal & wanted to avoid a cab ride, couldn't they stay (for one night) on the OTHER side of the GCH?

Isn't there an Annabelle & other motels a few yards down from the GCH & PP? I seem to remember some folks (with smiles) walking with roller luggage down the sidewalk from that area....they were joking about switching from a low cost motel to the GCH & that the DH got tired of waiting for the cab.....they said it was a pleasant 100 yard (or so) walk?

I'll go look at a map, but isn't there some motels on that street near Dennys & the Annabelle a short walk fromt he GCH??

 

[disneydawn6]

There's a Econo Lodge that's right on the corner from the Grand. Not great but cheap. Think I'm paying $55 a night for the first night when we get in late Friday night for the Expo. The next day we move to the Grand... But did not want to pay that $209 price for a night when we probably wont get in till midnight......

 

[Mouseaholic!!!]

I LOVE It when people think out loud - with their fingers.....I do it all the time.

I think it's time to settle down and make that reservation for one night. We can hold out hope that the Grand Cali will have castmember rates....but I'm not sure even castmember rates for Saturday of Thanksgiving weekend will work for us.

We were thinking of using Holiday Inn points (I travel for work and stay at holiday inn's for their reward points....free hotel rooms, free car rentals...can't beat it!). We may want to save them, however, because....

We are planning a late April Flower and Garden trip to WDW.......driving from Maryland we plan to stop in Savannah on the way down and Charleston on the way up....staying at the Holiday Inn's downtown on points...hopefully even points for the car rental too!


I have a little tip I was trying yesterday......Google Earth. Just request Disneyland, you can fine tune your search by address. I just pull up the address of the hotel and you can actually "dive down" into the 360 degree shapshot from the road and take a look at things. SO VERY WICKED COOL!!

I was looking at the hotels this way yesterday!

 

[Hound 109]

There's a Econo Lodge that's right on the corner from the Grand. Not great but cheap. Think I'm paying $55 a night for the first night when we get in late Friday night for the Expo. The next day we move to the Grand... But did not want to pay that $209 price for a night when we probably wont get in till midnight......

Is this on Katella (near Disneyland Way)?

I also confirmed on another thread that the Annabella & the Best Western Stovall are at the corner of Katella & Disneyland way & are a 3-5 minute (straight shot) walk from the GCH.

Here's the thread (see the last page):

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1745747&page=23

 

[disneydawn6]

Is this on Katella (near Disneyland Way)?

I also confirmed on another thread that the Annabella & the Best Western Stovall are at the corner of Katella & Disneyland way & are a 3-5 minute (straight shot) walk from the GCH.

Here's the thread (see the last page):

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1745747&page=23

It's right next to Stovell's. Maybe the CM rates will come through. Lately I've noticed the CM rate is the same as the AP rate.

 

[maleficent's goon]

If you're referring to the Econo Lodge that would be on the SW corner (more or less) of Disney and Katella I will strongly advise to NOT stay there!!

...EVER

 

[disneydawn6]

Have not seen a cockroach yet. I prefer the Carousel Inn or Candy Cane but this one is cheaper... Just as bad as the Park vue before it was remodeled. or the Alpine....

 

[bumbershoot]

Hound, that's a good suggestion! I am stereotypically bad at distances so I don't know if it's 100 yds, but it's not FAR to get from Anabella to GCH. You just walk from your room, out to the sidewalk, turn left, cross Katella, go up the street towards PPH. Since the OP is a google earth person, she'll have noticed that this path takes you along one side of a giant "hidden" Mickey, then she'll get up to GCH, walk in, and can check in!

I hadn't thought about those hotels b/c I figured they were going to be going to the parks on the first day...but OP, if you're just getting into town, going to the hotel and sleeping, then you just need to go check into GCH, Anabella would be a nice idea, IMO. I enjoyed our stay there (first floor rooms have wood floors!).

 

[Hound 109]

Bumber, i thought about you when i posted (because you had mentioned staying at the Annabella).

It was funny....we were crossing the street (from the PP to the GCH....on our way to MM) as this family was walking & pulling their luggage....including a little girl with her little strolling suitcase. I asked where they came from & they said they got in the previous night, had stayed at the Annabella & were checking into the GCH that morning (& heading over to MM).

In the other "hotel" thread, SpaceMermaid put the walk at 3-5 min.....so my unscientific guess would be closer to 250-300 yards (instead of 100 yards).

As you know I like the Pier & that area around the GCH....& I like ending my morning tour & starting my afternoon tour in DCA (via the GCH).....so i was thinking about those lodging choices for myself if the Pier was too expensive.

MALEFICENT'S GOON - WHAT WAS YOUR EXPERIENCE AT THE ECONOLODGE?

 

[maleficent's goon]

Just as bad as the Park vue before it was remodeled. or the Alpine....

well that's encouraging

MALEFICENT'S GOON - WHAT WAS YOUR EXPERIENCE AT THE ECONOLODGE?

I will say this was about 5-6 years ago and one of my first ever trips I booked by myself so I was very naive about my "rights". In retrospect I would of got out of there before even taking my bag out of the car.

First room REEKED of smoke--but not as in somebody lit up a few during their stay...more like being in the house of a chain smoker. Not to mention the torn bedding with "odd" stains. So after a LOT of complaining I got the second room being told this was it because they were booked solid---which was true so on top of everything else be forewarned the parking there is a !!!...though that isn't an uncommon problem for a lot of the motels on the D-land perimeter. Anyways this second room reeked of URINE...had newsprint fingerprints ALL over the walls and bathroom and the bed had body sized lumps like somebody had died there (think Psycho and "mother's" bed). They did neutralize the smell since I was leaving for the park anyways but I came back to the night clerk having a stoner party at the pool with his buddies for most of the night. Then when they left he got picked up by a couple and went back to their room with them--while some would consider that "deluxe" service I was completely skeeved.

This is just what I can remember---I've tried to forget that I actually laid my head there. Luckily I have since learned to never pre-pay for anything.
Now maybe something has changed there in the years since but you won't see me finding out. This and the Del Sol (maintenance calls that were left answered and also that skeevy vibe) are on my never again list.

But more power to any of you who want to stay there